skorchio

Take it from me that Xang sane is the rreal deal. I am sitting under it now, on anchor in the Phillipines; the winds went from zero this morning to 100kph now, and we are 250 miles from the centre. Its been hissing rain for 2 days......who was the tw4t who guaranteed BKK would not flood this year???? talk about setting oneself up......

Just in case anyone thought that thats the end of it, check out

www.typhoon2000.com

there's another 'phoon in Phillipines, bearing 280 degrees, and another 'phoon brewing in Pacific.

It is a stated intention that the opening of Suvanapum is intended to steal regional business from Singapore's Changi. While Changi's shopping appeal has become lacklustre in recent years, it is still one of the finest airport experiences in the world. One of my favourite touches is upon clearing outbound immigation (thru which you must carry your handbaggage) there is a person waiting to supply a handbaggage cart on the other side. The entire process of traveling is a model of efficiency and comfort.

Contrast this to the anticipated shrinking of passenger space as more coridoor and lounge area is sold for retailing, to the point that you cant push a trolley thru it. Rarely at Changi does one have to even wait for use of the free internet terminals in the concourse, they even have 2 terminals now in all the boarding gates. It shall be interesting to see what a b0ll0x they make of their 3 billion dollar masterpiece......

Bangkok's new airport to change the face of seedy Pattaya

"Pattaya is like Disneyland, but you don't pay an entrance fee," he says. — AFP

— AFP 2006-09-26

If only Pattaya were like Disney - where you pay an enterance fee and all rides are free......

so is he facing a stiff penalty???

wow, I didnt think one could die of Malaria in Thailand, and in the presence of medical help!! I am shocked.......my sympathies are with his parents. Parts of northern Myanmar are notoriously malarial, but I still can't believe the kid died!! The strain he contracted must have been horrendous.......its also possible he was a tad undernourished - I lost quite a few kilos backpacking about 10 yrs ago around these same parts......

I work all over SE Asia, and have done for the last 3 years - I would often use my CC in 3 different countries in 3 days. The only problem I have EVER had was after withdrawing money in Malaysia, Borneo side. I was on my boat at work a few days later (in posession of my CC), while someone was racking up, on my card, 15,000 Hong Kong dollars on a shopping spree (thats not as much money as it may sound). When I phoned my bank, they said they had already stopped the card, stating "yes Mr Smith, for the last 2 years, you have used your card only for flights, hotels, duty free booze and vehicle rental. These purchases are jewelery and antiques in rapid succession.....so we stopped it".

I had the money refunded a few days later, and my bank later told me that whoever make the purchases actually signed the ######ing recipts in Chinese!!!!! Can you believe that??? Imagine having the neck to do that with my name written on the card???

My crabs have been dieing - Im gonna sue......

That was the most annoying thing ever, the touts in Patong.

Extremely harrassing. Very disturbing to see that even Thais started to grab your hand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The touts in Thailand are mild by international standards - the touts in Patong are not so bad by Thai standards. The street vendors generally leave you alone with the first utterance of "mae aow Kap". Spend an evening around Nana, they'll drive you effin mental. As for the Indian tailors, if you are stupid enough to shake their hand, then dont complain here.

And as someone mentioned earller, go to Bali to fully appreciate how annoying street touts can be - indeed they can actually ruin a trip. I will never again go back to Bali, a decision I made long before terrorist activities.

Having said all that, it will be a more pleasant place without the unsolicited marketing

I wonder if this announcement will have a direct impact on the price of Tiger, Lion(ess), or perhaps giraffe cutlets? Is the proposed Chiang Mai "endangered species menu" itself endangered before it gets off the ground? I'd hate to see the Govt forced into making an hyppocritical move to protect the jobs of Specialist Northern Chefs........